Improvement in mowers and reapers



C. N.'PIKE.

Mower and Reaper.

Patented Sept. 16, i879.

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' grooved wheel.

UNITED STATES PATENT OEEIGE.

CHARLES N. PIKE, or READsBoRoUGH, VERMONT.

IMPROVEMENT IN MOWERS AND REAPERS.

E Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 219,757, dated September 16, 1879; application tiled April 9, 1877.

To all whom 'it may concern.'

Be it known that I, CHARLES NEWELL PIKE, of Readsborough, in the county of Bennington and State of Vermont, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Mowers and Beapers, of which the following is a specification.

Figure l is a vtop view of my improved machine. Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section of the same taken through the line .r x, Fig. l. Fig. 3 is a detail cross-section of one of the drive-wheels with its ratchet-wheel and Fig. 4 is a detail top view of the shank of the cutter-bar and the forward end of the crooked bar. Fig. 5 is a detail section of the shoe. l

Similar letters of reference indicate ,corresponding parts. The object of this invention is to furnish improved machines 'or cutting grass ,and grain, which shall be so constructed as to have no down-draft upon the horses necks, and which shall be simple in construction, convenient in use, and effective and reliable in operation.

The. invention consists of certain improvements, which will be first described in the specification, and then pointed out in the claims.

A are the drive-wheels, which revolve upon the journals of the axle B, and upon the inner sides of which is formed a circle of ratchetteeth a. To the axle B, at the inner side of the wheels A,-are attached wheels or disks C,

through which are formed a number of square holes to receive the pawls cl in suchpositions that the ends of said pawls cl may rest upon' the ratchet-teeth c. The pawls c1 have their forward ends beveled to correspond with the inclination of the ratchet-teeth a', and are held forward against said ratchet-teeth c' by springs c2, attached to the wheels C, and which rest against the outer ends of the said pawls al. This construction enables the requisite strength to be obtained from less material than when the pawls work upon theedges of the ratchetwheels.

ugs which work upon the axle B. The platform E thus serves as braces or hounds for the tongue D.

Upon the axle B, at each end of the platform E, work the bearings of the crooked bar F, the right-hand arm of which is extended to receive the cutter-bar G and the other operating parts of the machine. i

Upon the inner end of the finger-bar G is formed, or to it is attached, an armor shank, gl, which passes back along the inner side of the crooked bar F, to which it is connected by a hook-bolt, g2, and a U-bolt, g3. The hookbolt g2 passes through a cross slotin the crooked bar F, and is secured to the lower end of a rod, g4, which passes up through a guideeye attached to the outer side of the said crooked bar F. The U-bolt g3 passes around a groove in the rear part of the shank g1 and through the crooked bar F. l

Upon the side of the shank gis formed a lip or flange, g5, which, when the finger-bar G is raised into an erect position, strikes against the inner side of the crooked bar F, andi prevents the said nger-bar from swinging over too far. f

Upon the rear end of the shank gl is formed a cam, gf, upon which rests alever, H, and the shoulder of which, when the finger-bar Gr has been raised into a vertical position, passes the lever H, so that the finger-bar Gr will be held in an upright position until the lever `H has been raised. The lever H is pivoted to the crooked bar F.

The outer end of the linger-bar Gr is kept from dropping below a horizontal position by the cam gs, the shoulder of which strikes against the bottom of a notch or groove formed in the crooked bar F.

The linger-bar G is raised to pass obstructions by the lever I, which is pivoted to the crooked bar F, and may be 'secured in place, holding the said finger-bar Graised, by passing its rear end beneath a hook, i', attached to the crooked bar F, near the axle B.

The forward part of the lever I lhasa guidehole formed in it, or in a lug formed upon it, to receive the rod g4. the lever lis attached the upper end of a short chain, J, the other end of which has an eyelink formed upon it to receive the larger rear part of the bolt K, the smaller forward part of To the forward end of which passes through the upwardly-projecting part ofthe shoe L.

The end shoes L M of the finger-bar (if are made in two parts, the rear ends of which are bent upward, have teeth or corrugations formed upon the adjacent sides of said upwardly-projecting parts to prevent them from slipping upon each other, and are secured to each other by bolts, so that by loosening the said bolts the lower parts of said shoes may be moved up or down to adjust the cutter-bar to work closer to or farther from the ground, as may he required.

To the finger-bar (l are attached the guards N, upon the upper sides of which are formed cross-grooves, as shown in Fig. 2, to receive the bolts by which the sickles are secured to the sickle-bar (l). The siekle-bar 0 works upon the tingerhar (l in the usual way, and to its inner end is pivoted the end ofthe long arm ot the bent lever P, which endalso passes through a long keeper, Q, attached to the inner end of the cutter-bar F. The lever P has a loop or eye formed in its angle to receive the hook or U-bolt by which it is pvoted to .aT-block, R, which slides in a T-groove in the crooked bar F.

The forward end of the short arm of the lever P has aballenlargement formed upon it to receive a friction-roller, S, which works in a zigzag groove, c, formed in the inner side of an enlargement of the pawl-wheel C. The groove o3 should be made with its sides between its inner and outer angles in straight lines, so that the sickle-bar may move at the same velocity through the whole of its stroke, the ball bearing ofi' the friction-roller S, enabling it to move along the groove ci without binding.

The Tblock Ris moved out and in to throw the lever l out of and into gear with the grooved wheel U by the lever T, the forward end of which is pivoted to said block R.

The lever T is pivoted to the crooked bar F, and its rear end passes across a bar or flange, U, attached to ort'ormcd upon the said crooked bar F, and which is notched to receive the said lever T, and hold it in place when adjusted in either position. The lever T is held down upon the notched bar or flange U by a spring, V, attached to the lower side of the crooked bar F, and connected with the end of the pivotingbolt of said lever T.

W is the dividing-board, the forward end of which is pivoted to the outer end of the finger-bar G, or to the end shoe M, and is held in place by a spring, X, the forward end of which is attached to the finger-bar Gr, and its rear end passes through a keeper, w. ab 'cached to the outer side of the rear part of the said dividing-board W. The spring X holds the dividing-board W in place under ordinary circumstances, and allows it to yield should it strike an obstruction, and thus prevent it from being broken.

To the outer side of the forward part of the crooked bar F is attached a gudgeon, Y, upon which the wheel Z revolves to support the forward end of the said crooked barF and its attachments. The gudgeon Y is made with a ball-bearing, which allows thc wheel Z to accominodate itself' to the surface of uneven ground without binding.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. The lever P, the T-shaped sliding block R, the forked lever T, the notched ilan ge U, and the spring V, in combination with the grooved wheel c, and with the ringer-bar `(l, substantialljv as and for the purpose described.

2. The combination of the lip or tlange g5, the cam g, the hook and U-bolts g'l g3, and the lever H, with the shank g', of the cutterbar G, and with the slotted and notched crooked bar F, substantially as herein shown and described.

CHARLES NEWELL PIKE.

Witnesses:

0R1N TIMOTHY PARSONS, MINER TOWER. 

